Not So Sweet Sixteen

The Great Gatsby Sweet Sixteen party is everything you would imagine for a girl like Miranda Kent: huge, over the top, and very annoying. Lines containing hundreds of people in flappers, sequins, and crystals made their way around the gaudy affair, taking it all in. Balloons and strobe lights danced through the air while girls and boys wiggled and gyrated below. A lavish buffet was off to one side and on the other side, there was a large all gold, eight tiered cake decorated with edible lilies. It was very reminiscent of a Gatsby party, you had to admit. But the host was nothing like the elusive and mysterious Gatsby. She was Miranda Kent, the Kent Hotel heiress. This soirée was being thrown to honor her sixteenth birthday. Hundreds of people had turned out, not because they were her friends, but because it was an extravagant party. People tend to gravitate towards extravagant parties. Miranda had the misfortune of being spoiled and immature with a volatile anger. This anger was put on display when she threw an epic tantrum after the drinks were set up along the wrong wall. She had almost flipped a table! But now, as she paraded around the party in her gold flapper dress encrusted with Swarovski crystals and gold head piece made of real diamonds on her blond head, everything was right in the Miranda-verse. Miranda was having so much fun being the center of attention that she didn’t even notice that her best friend, Debbie was nowhere to be found. Debbie was Miranda’s age and they had been friends for years. Friends is a loose terms when it comes to these girls, though. Their friendship involves Miranda pushing Debbie around and Debbie being to kind to say anything. The constant put downs and rude comments don’t bother Debbie much because she would rather be popular than an outsider. Things like this are important in high school. Miranda also doesn’t notice that Eric, her boyfriend of six months, is missing in action. Although Miranda could possibly be the least understanding girlfriend with absolutely no redeeming qualities, Eric stays with her. He has this silly notion that he could change Miranda’s ways and make her nice. As if that were possible! Soon, Miranda decides she needs to put on her second outfit of the evening, a fire engine red gown that hugs her curves. Miranda walks into the downstairs closet where she stored her dress to meet a shocking surprise; Eric and Debbie in a hot clinch! In typical Miranda-fashion, she unleashes her anger in a series of expletives that would make a sailor blush. Eric and Debbie are mortified at first, muttering apologies and asking for forgiveness. But as Miranda continues her tirade, Eric and Debbie become confused as to why they associate themselves with this crazy brat. Born from a place of sheer pride and determination, Eric and Debbie walk out of the closet past Miranda, and say with all of the conviction they have, “We don’t need you anymore.” The liberation they feel is immediate. No longer do they suffer under this domineering tyrant. As Erica and Debbie continue to walk away, Miranda’s anger boils over. How dare they ruin her Great Gatsby Sweet Sixteen! She storms out of the closet and through the party, searching for her two saboteurs. She spots them walking past the dessert table on their way to the door. Miranda will not let them leave without giving them another classic Miranda tirade. At the moment she walks by the dessert table, an inconsequential freshman bumps into her, causing her to stumble. The killer heels she was prowling around on have turned against her and she trips head first into her eight tiered birthday cake. Vanilla cake was everywhere: on her hair, on her face, on her ridiculously expensive dress. As Miranda lets out an ungodly scream, she realizes that all eyes are on her, but for a completely different reason. All of the attendees break out into a chorus of raucous laughter. They cannot stop, no matter how hard they try. Some even take out their phones and snap a few pictures. Miranda lets out one more banshee yell and then flees to her room upstairs. Eric, Debbie, and all of the guests eventually leave the party with a sense of contentment. In the midst of such extravagance, Miranda had finally gotten what she deserved.

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